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Settlement averts first strike at Michener Institute

'The Local 572 bargaining team thanks everyone for their tremendous support.' - OPSEU.

Toronto (16 Oct. 2009) - Faculty members at the Michener Institute of Applied Health Sciences in Toronto have reached a tentative settlement, averting what would have been the first strike ever by the bargaining group.

The employees are members of Local 572 of the Ontario Public Service Employees Union (OPSEU/NUPGE). Details of the settlement will be released shortly.

"The Local 572 bargaining team thanks everyone for their tremendous support," the union said in an announcement on its website.

Prior to the settlement, local president Catherine Brown said the two sides were far apart on several key issues, including workload, wages and benefits.

The Michener Institute trains professional employees who work in hospital laboratories, diagnostic imaging, critical care and a host of other specialties that are integral to health services. The Michener Institute is funded by Ontario’s Ministry of Health.

OPSEU president Warren (Smokey) Thomas says the services provided by the institute are a good example of where the province should be investing health care dollars. “The students of Michener are the future of quality health care in Ontario,” Thomas says.

There has never been a walkout in the institute's 51-year history.

NUPGE

The National Union of Public and General Employees (NUPGE) is one of Canada's largest labour organizations with over 340,000 members. Our mission is to improve the lives of working families and to build a stronger Canada by ensuring our common wealth is used for the common good. NUPGE